Several businesses that started as pop-ups are making moves to established locations, to the benefit of Madison diners.
For sommelier MJ Hecox, owner of new wine bar GlouGlou, “this was NEVER — all caps — NEVER the plan,” she said. But her work running local wine events was so well-received, she made the decision to pursue a brick-and-mortar location.
GlouGlou, at 11 N. Allen St. on the near west side, was most recently The Heights cafe. In recent months, Cafe Domestique moved in — its third location — to serve coffee in the morning until 3 p.m. GlouGlou joined for evening pop-up events and now calls the space permanent.
The landlord and Heights owner Evan Gruzis was waiting for the right business partnership, Hecox said.
“This never would have happened if he hadn’t been so thoughtful about what to put into the space,” she said.
GlouGlou features a small, rotating list of about 15 wines that will change weekly. Patrons can order wine by the glass, bottle or flight.
Food trucks from businesses like Monsoon Siam, Eaton BBQ and Caracas Empanadas, among others, are available most nights, which Hecox said “has been a ton of fun pairing the street food with the wines.”
This summer, Hecox is launching a “global cafe model” at GlouGlou, with shareable plates and dessert.
Madison’s near east side just got a little sweeter
Also putting down roots is Level 5 Donuts, the wildly popular vegan treats.
Its retail space at 2086 Atwood Ave. opened May 3 and shares the space with candied pecan purveyor Fortune Favors. Level 5 makes unique doughnut flavors like chai, churro and strawberry rhubarb in addition to standards like vanilla and chocolate. It also sells gluten-free treats and on Sundays only, Level 5 offers its popular cinnamon rolls.
Previously available at select local coffeeshops, the doughnuts can now be picked up at the Atwood shop from Wednesday to Friday starting at 7 a.m. and beginning at 8 a.m. on weekends. It’s a good idea to go early. Doughnuts will be available until 3 p.m. unless they sell out, which has been happening routinely. The Willy Street Co-op also stocks the doughnuts.
Also on the east side and just in time for summer, Stellie’s Ice Cream is expanding its ice cream cart to a brick-and-mortar location at 1815 E. Washington Ave. The artisanal, small-batch ice cream is made with local ingredients and includes flavors like honey vanilla, dark chocolate and espresso chip. The business also vends at events like the Dane County Farmers’ Market and Madison Night Markets, which will continue.
Open for business
Coffee fans, take note. In early May, Rasta Barista debuted at 2352 S. Park St. in the Black Business Hub.
“Our location in the Black Business Hub, with its growing ecosystem of businesses and proposed developments, provides an excellent opportunity for growth and community engagement,” co-founder Melissa Kidau told In Business Madison in a December interview, as the business was preparing for a spring opening.
The shop serves Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee, offers a full expresso bar, pastries and other treats, and is open from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays.
Also new is Hotco Noodles at the Global Market & Food Hall at 2161 Zeier Road. Owner Sylvia Smith serves handmade noodle dishes, dumplings, hot pot and curries.
Smith, who is from China’s Sichuan province, also offers homemade chili sauce at Hotco Noodles. She developed and produces her crunchy chilli sauce at FEED Kitchens, the food business incubator on Madison’s north side.
Hotco Noodles is open Tuesday-Thursday from 10:30 a.m.-8 p.m., Friday-Saturday from 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m.-8 p.m.
And now open on Willy Street after a hiatus that included a full remodel is Ha Long Bay, the perennially packed Vietnamese restaurant at 1353 Williamson St. Offering dine-in and takeout service, Ha Long Bay now features a brighter interior and a bar. It serves lunch and dinner seven days a week.
Meanwhile, the owners of Mineral Point’s The Cider Farm, which produces cider and apple brandy, opened the new cider-centric restaurant Orchard at 881 W. Verona Ave. in Verona.
On the menu are burgers, salads, cheese curds, Neapolitan-style pizzas, fish and steak, among other offerings. The food and drink menus incorporate products from The Cider Farm orchard.
The new spot is open Tuesday-Thursday from 4-9 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. It is closed on Mondays.
Check its website at orchardrestaurants.com for information on events like cider tastings and tours of its Mineral Point orchard.
Looking to the next course
Food Fight’s poke spot, Miko Poke at 2701 Monroe St., shut down last month. Opening in its place in June is HWY 1, a restaurant inspired by the beach and roadside stands of Mexico’s Baja Peninsula. Patrons can build their own salads, bowls and burritos, and gluten-free and vegetarian/vegan options will be available. Margaritas, sangria and beer will be on tap.
Closing up shop on the other end of Monroe Street is One & Only, which ended its run on May 31 with free appetizers for its customers.
Also being replaced is Madison restaurant Touch of Ukraine, 2438 Winnebago St., which closed at the end of May.
“This decision was not made lightly, and we are deeply grateful for your support,” the representatives of the restaurant wrote on their Facebook page. “It has been our pleasure to serve you and to be part of this community.”
The new business will be run by the group behind downtown Madison’s Rare Steakhouse and it has offered jobs to the entire Ukrainian staff, the Wisconsin State Journal reported. The name and menu of the new restaurant has not yet been decided, but the spot will not be as high-end as the Capitol Square steakhouse.
Remodeling is scheduled to begin this month and conclude by Aug. 15. The restaurant would open by late August or early September.
Just outside Madison, Spring Green restaurant Homecoming and Reunion reopened in May with a new concept, Reunion Family Barbecue.
Located at 134 W. Jefferson St., the new version of Reunion is open Friday, Saturday and Sunday, from 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.for lunch and 4-8:30 p.m. for dinner. The restaurant offers wood-smoked local meats, a vegetarian barbecue option and sides that emphasize produce from nearby farms. It also has an extensive cocktail menu, wine list and serves local craft beers and ciders.
